Hong Kong Elite Talent Admission Scheme two-year anniversary: Over half of high talents employed in Hong Kong, median monthly salary reaching 50,000 Hong Kong dollars.

Today (January 22), the Secretary for Labour and Welfare of Hong Kong, Mr. Law Yuen-han, responded to questions from legislator Mr. Siu Kam regarding the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG). He stated that the ASSG had been in place for just over two years, and the government was pleased to see many high-end talents coming to Hong Kong to develop their careers. According to a follow-up survey conducted by the Labour and Welfare Bureau, over half of the high-end talents who came to Hong Kong were employed, mainly in management and professional work, with a median monthly income of about HK$50,000. About one-fourth of high-end talents had a monthly income of HK$100,000 or more. In addition, nearly 20% of the spouses of high-end talents who came to Hong Kong were also employed, mostly in high-tech jobs. These survey results show that high-end talents and their spouses have made a direct economic contribution to Hong Kong, and over half of them are under 40 years old, with many settling in Hong Kong with their young children, adding fresh blood to the local workforce and having a positive impact on the population structure of Hong Kong. In response to the continued expansion of the labor gap, the government is implementing various talent entry schemes with different positioning to actively recruit talents from diverse backgrounds to fill local job vacancies and enrich Hong Kong's talent pool. Among them, the Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents (ASSG) launched at the end of 2022 aims to attract high-income or top university graduates from different professional sectors to come to Hong Kong for development. The eligibility criteria and assessment guidelines for the scheme are clear and concise, and the documents to be submitted are relatively simple. Qualified talents do not need to be hired by a Hong Kong employer in advance, but can apply for a visa to explore opportunities in Hong Kong. However, when the initial visa expires, they must have been employed in Hong Kong or established/participated in a business in order to be eligible for renewal. The response to the ASSG has been very enthusiastic since its launch. As of the end of December last year, approximately 116,000 applications had been received, of which nearly 92,000 were approved, with over 75,000 high-end talents and their families arriving in Hong Kong. The government has been paying attention to their situation and providing diverse and appropriate support through the Hong Kong Talent Service Office to help them adapt to life in Hong Kong and to organize recruitment fairs with different sectors to facilitate direct career matching between employers and talents. While the government is actively "attracting talents", it also focuses on "retaining talents". Therefore, the 2024 Policy Address has set performance targets, with no less than 50,000 talents successfully applying for visa extensions annually from 2025 to 2027. Of course, the alignment between talents and the local job market needs time to mature, which is a normal interactive process. Ultimately, whether talents can obtain extensions or choose to stay in Hong Kong for development depends on their own conditions and other factors. The government's role is not only to provide the necessary support for talents, but also to continue to develop the economy and emerging industries, providing a favorable environment for local and overseas talents to develop, and to provide solid support for the establishment of Hong Kong as an international hub for high-end talents. The first batch of visas issued under the ASSG began to expire at the end of last month, and after receiving renewal applications and necessary documents, the Immigration Department generally takes two to three weeks to complete the approval process. Therefore, only a few renewal applications have been processed so far, and the data is not sufficient to provide meaningful statistical analysis. The government will accumulate a certain number of renewal applications and release relevant statistical figures in due course after a detailed analysis. The Immigration Department has allowed high-end talents to submit renewal applications three months before the expiry of their visas starting from November 1, 2024, so that applicants have sufficient time to prepare the required documents. When submitting a renewal application, the applicant must provide reliable information and documents to the Immigration Department to prove that they have been employed in Hong Kong and can generate stable income, or have established or participated in a business in Hong Kong. Specific requirements for approving ASSG renewal applications are detailed in the ASSG Immigration Guide, which is also available on the Immigration Department's website. The Immigration Department also provides detailed information on renewal requirements through its social media, seminars, and media briefings, and the Talent Service Office disseminates relevant information through various channels. Applicants who have been employed must submit their employment contracts, which should detail the position, salary, other benefits, and term of employment. Generally, the job performed by talents granted renewal should typically be held by a degree holder, and the salary and benefits for that position should meet market levels. If the applicant is employed by a non-local company and transferred to work in Hong Kong through an internal transfer arrangement, and holds a managerial or professional position in the company, their renewal application will also be considered. When approving such renewal applications, the Immigration Department considers factors such as the applicant's salary and benefits, the economic benefits brought by their work (such as taxes paid in Hong Kong), and their length of stay in Hong Kong.